Cullen Conundrums
by Inks Inc
Summary: Carlisle Cullen personifies the leadership role. It's in his genes, frozen in time forever. He's always played his part well, but when that role extends to being the patriarch & father to five of the most different personalities imaginable, he is tested. The love for each of his adopted brood is fierce, as are their own minds. Naturally, chaos ensues. WARNING: Spanking. COMPLETED
1. Think Tank

A/N: OK, so I admit it. Twilight is my guilty pleasure. I was about nineteen/twenty when I read the first one, and five years later my love for Carlisle (naturally) remains strong. Edward is my favourite "kid." Also, I never write my usual disciplinary style with **actual** kids. Not condemning anyone who does in the slightest, but I just personally don't. However, as the "kids," in this fic are well over the legal age of one hundred, I can make an exception. First Twilight fic ever so please bear with me, I've recently re-read the series and the Twilight juices are currently a-flowing.

-Inks

The glittering surface of his immaculate, just for show kitchen seemed to reflect his own sense of anger and exasperation right back at him as he sat heavily at the ornamental breakfast counter. It was a rare event that he had cause to extricate himself from his family to ensure his emotions were under check, but yet, alone currently he sat. Frankly, none of his eclectic brood drove him to this point with any degree of frequency, which on one hand was great. But on the other, it made those rare occasions all the harder to digest and deal with. Usually in situations where his emotions came under strain, the calming influence of Jasper would waft through the door and encase him in its soothing touch.

His southerner however knew better than to manipulate his emotions when it came to something like this. When his anger was born out the antics of one or all of his brood, his emotions were off limits. Suddenly wishing with all his might that Esme and Rose were back from their hunting trip, Carlisle ran a hand through his hair in sheer frustration.

He had warned the boy. Repeatedly.

Edwards…situation, with Bella…granted, it was complicated. Snorting unnecessarily at the understated summation, Carlisle had cause to recall the human condition of weariness. His son's head over heels proclamation of love for the human girl was not a typical teenage fad. Nothing about his lot could ever be accused of being a typical teenage fad. They'd been physical teenagers in a plethora of decades, and had pretty much outgrown adolescence from the get-go. And yet…yet Edward's behaviour shrieked and reeked of petty teenage angst. Running a delicate hand along the counter top, he shook his head slowly.

Edward…was his cool, level headed one. The one he could rely on to think things through, assess all possibilities and their corresponding eventualities. The one he could depend upon to refrain his more impulsive boy, Emmett, from doing anything too crazy. He was the one who could often aid in the diffusing of the often momentous arguments between his two girls, with his reasonable and rational logic. But…today, apparently was the day where Edward had cast aside that characteristic cautiousness.

Today apparently was the day when his son had decided to manhandle another student at Forks High, effectively blackening his right eye and about to set to work on the other, before Bella's screams got the better of him. Staring down at the counter, Carlisle closed his eyes and thanked his lucky stars the girl had been there and had shrieked her knee jerk reaction. Otherwise the boy, Brandon… something or other, would most likely be laying in the ICU. Another guttural sigh escaped him as he ran through the call from the school, his son's less than forthcoming explanation and the irate and dire warnings from the injured boy's parents.

It was…one hell of a mess.

Edward's explanation hadn't really operated to stem the coven leader's ire, and this fact once relayed to the boy, had only increased his ire. Staring silently ahead, Carlisle still couldn't quite believe that in all the decades of high school education his four had matriculated through, this one, in Forks was the one that his boy had decided to risk exposing them in. He accepted, such was his honed ability to empathise, that the…less than Christian thoughts that had rattled around Brandon's head as he had passed Bella and Edward in the halls, was enough to provoke his telepathic son.

He did.

He really did accept that.

He knew, if the sort of thoughts that had been rattling around that teenage boys head, had been relayed in another human's head in respect of his own mate, his teeth would also be grinding. But he also knew his hands would remain inoffensively at his side. He also knew that Edward was both mentally and physically capable of achieving the very same level of restraint, should he have chosen to.

But he didn't so choose.

And Carlisle…wasn't about to accept that.

He was not accept that which he had made perfectly clear over the last century or so as being unacceptable, and that was the deliberate infliction of physical violence upon a human. He and Esme had laid that ground rule down from the word go. All their kids knew that to lay a singular finger on a human in anger, malice or with violent intent, was an intolerable act. Edward, given his growingly close relationship with Bella, ought to remember that rule even more acutely than his other four.

The familiar worry regarding Edward and Bella's deepening relationship lapped him as he sat and attempted to regulate his emotions. On the one hand, he and Esme were beyond ecstatic at the way their boy's eyes lit up when her name was mentioned, or the way his gift for music soared throughout the house in her presence. Their happiness for his happiness was unwavering. They had grown more and more concerned as the decades slipped by and as Edward remained resolutely mate-less. Now…they grew more and more worried that the only mate their son seemed to have eyes for, was in their presence, as fragile as an origami swan.

Carlisle sighed once more as he examined his hands absentmindedly. What he was about to do, was always hard. But…when it was with Edward, it was even harder. Because frankly, he didn't have as much experience disciplining his technically first born son when contrasted with the plethora of experience he held in disciplining Emmett. He was also acutely conscious of not doing anything that would give off the vibe that he was displeased or discouraging of the relationship between Edward and Bella.

It was already tenuous enough.

Of course, his son could within an instant utterly infiltrate his mind and discern his full range of emotions on the matter, but of respect, he never did. Drawing in a completely unnecessary breath, Carlisle took a moment to pod and probe his emotions. He was still angry, but…not dangerously so. He was in full control of it, and not it, him. He was also…scared. Scared for what could have happened today, and the impact it would have had on two families. Scared for the life-long impact he knew seriously wounding a human would inflict on his most sensitively attuned son.

He was just…scared.

Their kind…they required, thrived upon and operated best with predictability and dependability. A relationship with a human, a teenage human, fulfilled none of that criterion. Seeing how far and how fast Edward would go to defend his girlfriend's honour, in a High School writhing with adolescent thoughts, was now more terrifying than ever. Such thoughts weren't a triggering agent that he as father could simply remove. Nor, given his abilities, were they something Edward as a student could simply turn a deaf ear to.

There was no muting the temptation of provocation.

And so…if Edward was serious about Bella, which wasn't really in doubt, he was going to have to learn to control his reactions. He was going to have to learn to let things wash over his head. He was going to have to learn, that which he already knew, but in the heat of the moment appeared to have forgotten. That he was a Cullen. That he was one of the five public faces of a family that drew lots of local attention. That he was as directly responsible for protecting their secret as his parents and his siblings. That his behaviour, orchestrated in a split second could have had untellable ramifications for both their family and others.

Standing with a sigh, and deciding that putting off the inevitable was simply unfair to his son, who was no doubt still stewing in his bedroom. Making his way to his study, or as his children called it, the execution chamber…he closed his eyes wearily as he pulled out the single purpose straight backed chair that resided in the corner of the opulent room. Setting the chair in the centre of the study, he rubbed a hand needlessly over his face and tried to pull himself together in order to complete the singularly most unpleasant takes he faced in parenthood.

Wishing that Esme was with him, to reassure him that he was doing the right thing, he left the chair in the centre of the room and settled himself sadly behind his desk. Running a hand through his hair, he appraised himself one last time, just to be sure, and found himself in complete check of his emotions. Clearing his throat slightly and leaning back in his chair, his gentle "Edward, come down here please," didn't need to be any louder than a gentle murmur.

He waited for what he expected to be a little more than the usual nanosecond for an arrival outside the study door. His incredibly honed ears did catch the sounds of a delicate arrival, but the frown on his handsome face indicated that it was not the arrival he was looking for. Before the knock came, his quiet "come in, Alice," was heeded, and his daughter edged slowly into the room. Her lip was being chewed nervously, which was a tell-tale sign that she was in the office against her self professed better judgement and her will.

Carlisle raised a pointed brow.

"Alice, I called for Edward. What can I do for you?"

Glancing nervously at the chair in the centre of the room, and whilst feeling incredibly bad for her brother, Alice felt incredibly grateful it wasn't intended for her. The fact that its intended recipient had flown the nest as it were, was the cause of her lip chewing and hand wringing based presence in her father's study.

"Alice?" Carlisle prompted once more, but with a certain edge tingeing his otherwise gentle tone.

"It's Edward," she whispered, "he's gone."

Silence slammed its way through every inch of the tastefully decorated room.

"Gone?" Carlisle repeated as calmly as possible, whilst feeling the recently extinguished anger flare up inside him. "Gone where exactly?" His eyes roved over his uncomfortable daughter, as she shuffled needlessly from foot to foot.

Silence met his direct line of questioning, causing his brows to knit together.

"Alice Cullen," he reproved quietly, being uncharacteristically brusque in his quest for answers, "that chair is not meant for you right now, but it can be."

If she could have paled, the pixie like vampire would have.

"Bella's," she squeaked miserably, "he's at Bella's."

Carlisle nodded, and stood. Crossing the room in a blink of an eye, he dropped a kiss on his daughter's head and smiled down at her despite the situation. "If I had to go looking all over town for him, he'd be in more trouble," he assured her gently, "I think you know that, and that's why you came to me?"

A dark head of short hair bobbed miserably in agreement.

Dropping one last kiss on her head, Carlisle was out of the house and in the driveway in a fraction of a second. Hopping into his car, he started the engine grimly. He could have ran of course, but that would have leaned more on the animalistic side of his being. He needed to be as human as possible right now, because human fathers didn't murder their son's in broad daylight, in front of their girlfriend.

So… he needed to be human.

Edward's entire being, more specifically his backside, depended on it.

"Eternal teenagers," Carlisle muttered under his breath as he tore through the driveway, "what in the hell was I thinking?"

….

TBC

….

A/N(2): Like I say, first Twilight fic, and I'm always nervous when writing for a new fandom for the first time. So please let me know what you think/if I should continue multi-chaptered style etc etc.

Thanks for reading!


	2. Runaway Train

Stroking a gentle hand through her thick mop of dark hair, Edward's sense of complete and utter contentment as Bella nestled against him on her bed was suddenly disrupted. Feeling him stiffen against her, the human half of the unconventional pairing sluggishly opened her eyes. "What is it?" she murmured softly, sitting up a bit straighter at his half annoyed, half embarrassed groan. Swinging her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, she tilted her head in the way that would have caught his breath if he had any.

"Edward?"

The hand that had been tousling her hair was suddenly transferred to his own as he scrubbed it through the tawny locks in irritation. "Carlisle," he muttered shortly, "he's going to be outside in about seven seconds." Looking her confusion, Bella looked from her bedroom window to Edward and sure enough the sounds of a car's wheels crunching on gravel soon wafted through the air. Bella glanced at the taut line covering her boyfriend's face and felt even more confused.

"What's wrong?"

Instantly hearing the worry in her tone and feeling the protectiveness of her that he always felt rise up, Edward smiled that smile that rendered her effortlessly calm. "Nothing," he lied easily, feeling sick as he did so. "I have to go now; he'll be expecting me home. I'll…call you later, ok?" His calm, confident tone and his wide, natural smile ridded her of her doubts and she smiled at him. "Ok," she murmured, already looking forward to the call, glad that Edward's parents had been so understanding of the altercation at school today.

Charlie would have _freaked._

But…she supposed being centuries old mellowed people out. The way Edward had explained it, after she had calmed down from seeing him so… _animalistic,_ Carlisle was a little peeved but all in all wasn't all that aggrieved. Esme was hunting, so for the moment she was none the wiser. With one last smile that melted her heart, Edward was out the window without Charlie having ever been made aware of his presence in the house.

Lightly springing to the ground, the doomed penitent crossed the short space between his father's awaiting car and Bella's house in a fifth of a second. Easing into the passenger's seat, he chanced a look at the man beside him and winced. He had known Carlisle to be mad, for he had been mad when he had collected him from school. But now…he was that awful combination of mad with a healthy dollop of disappointed.

Anger, Edward could handle. Disappointment, not so much.

"Carlisle, I-"

The calm rising of the medic's hand cut him short, and he dropped his gaze in disgrace. "I don't want to hear a word from you right now son," the older Cullen intoned quietly, "I am not calm enough to deal with you, and when we get home I would like for you to _return_ to your room and to _stay_ there until such time as I'm sufficiently calmed. Do you understand?"

As the car kicked into gear underneath him, Edward nodded morosely. He had known he was doing wrong as he had stealthily sprung from his window to run to Bella's. But…he had still been mad then. Irritated by his father's scolding of him. Outraged by the man's apparent refusal to see the provocation in what had been going through that cretin boy's head. Now…as they drove, knowing the reason for motor based transport, he just felt shame.

Carlisle…looked, although he knew it to be impossible, _tired._

Biting back the apology that instinctively slid to his lips, the younger Cullen sat motionlessly in the car. He hated the fact that his adopted father was too angry to even to talk to him. It was such a rarity, that he had almost forgotten how miserable it made him feel. Though Emmett was only too happy to explain just _how_ it felt, being on the receiving end of such treatment a lot more than the rest of them. Realising with a jolt that the speed to which he had been located could only have stemmed from knowledge, he felt another surge of guilt.

Alice.

She would have had no choice but to tell Carlisle where he was, and he knew that it was her own way of protecting him. Searching the town for him would have only angered their father more, and Edward felt remorse for the guilt he knew his sister would be feeling. He owed her an apology when he saw her. Glancing at the firm line of Carlisle's jaw, he altered that statement somewhat…to _if_ he saw her. He was at least grateful that Esme was still absent from their household. His father's disappointment was one thing, but his mother's…that was a completely different ball game.

One he very much didn't want to play.

All too soon the car was sailing up the Cullen driveway and shuddering to a stop outside their impressive home. Not letting go of the wheel or taking his gaze off the tree in front of them, Carlisle spoke quietly. "Up to your room if you please Edward. I will call you down when I am ready for you, and I would trust that you would use this time to think about all the events that have occurred today, and be in a position to give me _some_ sort of an explanation."

Edward blinked unnecessarily.

His father's tone was so soft, and so exasperated it pierced his heart. Being the proverbial "good child," he was loathe to bring any form of distress to their doorstep. A three day suspension from school, fisticuffs with a _human_ and absconding out the window were therefore acts that generally wouldn't have crossed his mind. But…they had, and all at once…and he knew there was a price to pay. Perhaps the feelings of misery that encased him now was just a part of that price. Bringing himself to his senses, he nodded silently and within the blink of an eye had exited the car and entered the house.

Alone in the car and suddenly feeling the absence of his eldest with a collision force, Carlisle sighed heavily before slowly following his son's footsteps into the house. The entire building was quiet, and the coven leader instantly knew that Alice had dragged Jasper and Emmett out of the house so he could…discuss the day's events with Edward privately. He felt a twinge of gratitude. However angry he was with his mind reader, he knew that each of his brood hated the others knowing why and when they were in trouble with himself or Esme, and he was relieved that the boy wouldn't have his siblings acute hearing to worry about.

Settling himself down behind his desk once more, he dropped his head into his hands and kneaded them against his cool forehead. He was quite sure that if he were to have experienced this day in his human form, he would currently be curled up in a ball of exhaustion. As it was, he didn't have the luxury of such emotion and knew he had to deal with Edward sooner rather than later. One look at the boy as he had entered the car left him in no doubt that the full force of his actions had hit him in the face. The kid had practically leaked remorse.

Being so clinical with him had been hard, but it had been necessary. He had a firm rule about _never_ dealing with any of the escapades of his brood when he himself was not in complete control. Staring down at the stack of medical texts on the polished surface, he let out a soft groan. It was so _unlike_ Edward, this behaviour. He didn't even know where to begin with it. He could just about get his head around the brawl and the attitude that went with it, but running out of the house?

It didn't make any sense.

His son was no coward. He had never shied away or _run_ away when he had been in trouble in the past. It just wasn't his style. A brief stab of panic attacked the doctor as he sat, one that had been lingering at the back of his mind since Alice had informed him of Edward's absence. It was a panic that made his immobile heart seem to twinge with a phantom pain, and his ornamental sweat glands quiver with the urge to excrete.

Was Edward… _afraid_ of _him?_

There was no denying that he was firm with his five. He had to be. The life they lived left no room for flagrant displays of disobedience. But…he hoped with all his being that he was fair, and that he was first and foremost caring. The idea…the very premise that Edward had left his home because he _feared_ his reaction to his stunt made Carlisle feel faintly unwell. He could handle a lot of things, but _that_ was not one of them. Chewing his lip as he sat, he once again wished with all his might that Esme would miraculously walk through the door.

But he knew she wouldn't, and in a way, he was glad.

It wouldn't be easy for his mate as a mother to understand Edward's unusual behaviour. Not that he himself was having any luck on the matter, but still. Stretching out, the sight of the chair in the middle of room assailed his mind and another groan escaped him. He hated that freaking chair nearly as much as each and every one of his five did, not that they would ever believe it. He hated every damn thing about it, and as he stood and assessed his emotions, he knew he was going to be hating it all the more very soon.

Walking slowly to the door, he dug deep. Half an hour or so of deep thinking and reflective silence had passed, and his mild mannerisms had allowed for his emotional control to be regained. He was still as angry as all hell, but he was in complete control of himself. Clearing his throat unnecessarily, he opened the door and called out quietly. "Edward…come down here please," before leaving the door ajar, and seating himself on the couch that sat opposite the ominously awaiting chair. He would never speak to his son from behind a desk, like he was in the middle of a consult. This was a family matter, and they both needed it to be treated as such.

Within an instant, his boy entered the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. His gaze instantly and naturally fell upon the straight backed chair that oozed a solemnity from the centre of the room. He averted his eyes and stood sheepishly on the spot. Sighing at this, Carlisle patted the spot on the sofa beside him. "Come here son," he instructed softly, and was relieved when he was immediately obeyed. Settling himself stiffly beside his father, the younger Cullen kept his gaze trained on the ground, a sure indicator of the guilt he felt.

For he was usually flawless in maintaining eye contact.

"Look at me please, Edward," Carlisle requested, and stifled a sigh at the look of sheer remorse that stared back at him. There was no denying that his eldest knew the world of trouble he was in, and that was a big a source of woe as it was relief. Forcing himself not to betray any sign of his own inner turmoil, the elder Cullen schooled his features into impassiveness tempered with sternness.

"I guess we have a lot to talk about, huh?"

There was a sticky silence before Edward nodded his head with a murmured "yes sir." Carlisle quickly shook his head. He was used to his son reverting to his nineteen hundreds routes when under stress, or in a particular state of emotional turmoil. "You don't need to call me that Edward," he corrected with kindly tone that made the offender feel even _more_ guilty, "I'm still me here, ok?" As he spoke, there was a visible relaxing of the stiff torso beside him as his eldest relaxed slightly.

Relief spread throughout Carlisle in tandem with Edward's. He may be furious, but he certainly didn't want his son to feel disconnected from him. He took in an unnecessary breath and looked the boy squarely in the eye. To his credit, he didn't look away. Recalling the day's events in his mind, Carlisle shook his head in the disbelief he was rapidly growing used to.

"Your behaviour today Edward," he began sternly, "was nothing short of outrageous. Absolutely _outrageous._ Firstly and most importantly, you laid hands on a human child in _anger_ with the intent to injure, am I correct?" The biting of the lip, sudden squirming and barely there nod let him know that he was correct, and he pressed on. "You are suspended from school for three days. You drew attention to us as a family that is entirely intolerable, and when confronted with these facts, you initially gave me a bucket full of attitude. Am I right?"

The boy's eventual "yes Carlisle," was barely audible as his squirming upped its ante.

Nodding, the coven leader continued, hating every minute of it "Then when we got home, I sent you to your room, not even _contemplating_ the idea that you would leave it without my permission. Then, tell me Edward, when you were supposed to be thinking about your disgraceful display today, what did you do?" The minute the query was posed; there was another sudden intake in the uncomfortable squirming beside him that set off a stark silence.

Because that was a question that Edward _really_ didn't want to answer.

Unfortunately, it wasn't optional.

"Answer me this instant," Carlisle demanded when a moment's pause became more than that.

"I left and went to Bella's," the younger vegetarian answered bleakly, amazed at his own stupidity. He couldn't even explain _why_ he did it, other than her pull to him was irrepressibly strong. But he knew then and there that that was no excuse and that Carlisle wouldn't suffer it as one. He felt his father stiffen at his words and knew that running out like he had was literally a case of pouring fuel on the fire.

"Any… particular reason for doing so?"

Feeling his head shake morosely, Edward wished he had a reason. A mitigation even. But he didn't…he had just decided to act like a complete and utter moron for the sake of it. Out of a bout of teenage self pity that he had outgrown about eighty years ago. Out of the corner of his eye he saw an odd expression cross his father's face, and if he had to guess…he would have defined it as _fear._ Feeling his brow raise, he turned his full gaze on the elder man and studied him.

"What is it?" he eventually asked, knowing there _was_ something there. Something more than paternal anger and exasperation with a love drunk offspring. Carlisle swiped a hand across his face and stared. He should have known better than to let his emotions show. Edward was astute, and he wouldn't have missed it. He correctly guessed that his son was struggling hard with his promise not to invade his mind as he stared at him in obvious concern. Knowing that resistance was futile given the kid's stubborn personality, Carlisle nodded slowly in acknowledgment as he cast around for the right words.

There weren't any.

Not really.

So he just went for it, both in need and wary of the answer.

"Did you run because you're afraid of me son?"

There was a deafening silence as Edward felt his mouth drop open. Remaining agape, he shook his head instinctively, frantically. " _No"_ he blurted out with a resounding honestly, "why would you even _think_ that?" A note of truth rang in his words and Carlisle instantly believed him, feeling relief tinged with sheepishness spread throughout him.

"It's just… not like you," he muttered softly, "to run away from your problems like that."

At this, despite the situation, Edward couldn't help but chuckle.

"I think I was running _to_ my problem Carlisle, more than I was running away from it."

The elder Cullen couldn't help but smile in the wake of his son's throaty laughter. "Yes well…young love does seem to have that pulling effect," he conceded, before sobering. "Not that that's _any_ excuse for disobeying me like that. You know full well that your ability to retain control over your natural instincts are compromised when you're emotional. Being around Bella at _all_ in that state, especially given her allure to you, was outrageously reckless. You see that, don't you?"

A flash of shame shot across the handsome face across from his as the tousled head bobbed up and down.

"Yes Carlisle," Edward admitted miserably, scowling at himself once more. Nodding, the doctor ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "You ever do something like that again, and you won't sit until it's time for your tri century birthday, is that clear?" Again, the wavy hair swayed with gravity as a guilty head was nodded in acceptance.

Suddenly seeing the chair looming in the corner of his eye as it sat innocently in the centre of the room, Carlisle realised he didn't need to continue scolding his son. The boy was under no illusions as to his wrongdoing, and the remorse that radiated from him was painful to see as a father. With a sigh, he raised his right forearm and quickly unbuttoned the cuff, and began to roll the sleeve up to his elbow. Edward's gaze lingered on his movements for a movement, before darting down to the floor.

"Tell me everything you did wrong please."

Stifling a groan and knowing that the talking to phase of his punishment was nearly at an end, Edward forced himself to comply with the traditional summation. Carlisle liked to ensure that if one of his five was in the hot seat, that they _knew_ in no uncertain terms _why_ they were in the hot seat.

"I attacked a human. I injured him. I risked drawing attention to us a family. I got suspended from school and…gave you attitude about it. I snuck out of my room and went to see Bella when I was no state to do so."

His voice cracked a jot, but he pressed on and looked his father directly in the eye.

"I'm sorry dad," he added clearly, "I'm really…really sorry."

Carlisle acted on instinct. He knew Edward generally only referred to him as "dad," when he was either particularly happy, or particularly upset. It pained him that it was the latter, but he knew it was out of his hands. Reaching out, he rested a cool hand upon Edward's knee and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you for your apology son," he murmured sincerely, "it means a lot."

He paused and collected himself, slipping back into the portion of fatherhood that he detested.

"But you realise that I have no choice but to punish you? In a way that will make think you twice in the future about repeating such abysmal behaviour?"

Edward's nod was immediate, much to Carlisle's relief.

"Your punishment now, is for the fight at school, the suspension and the attitude. Tomorrow, I'll deal with the sneaking out and running off. Do you understand?" The younger Cullen cringed inside at the thoughts of two separate punishments, but nodded quickly knowing he deserved it. "And how do you think I'm going to punish you?" Carlisle asked quietly, not wanting the boy to be under any illusions as to what was in store for him. Not that he could see how there _would_ be, but the meticulous side of him demanded surety.

Edward squirmed in his seat and firmly wished he could repeat this disastrous of all days and avoid the horror it had brought about. Knowing there was no way out of the question, he pulled himself together. "With a spanking," he answered in miserable embarrassment, his eyes finding the horrid chair in the centre of the room, leering at him, "well… two spankings. I guess."

Giving his son's knee one last reassuring squeeze and a nod, Carlisle murmured a subdued "correct," and gracefully stood from the sofa. Crossing the room in a nanosecond, he seated himself on the loathed chair and suppressed a miserable sigh.

"Come here, Edward."

…

TBC

…...

A/N: Thoughts?

Took me way too long to update this, apologies. Next chapter up as soon as I can.

-Inks


	3. Slates and Halves

Had there been an actual need for air, both Cullen's would have found it in short supply in the midst of the ear splitting silence that followed Carlisle's instruction. Edward gave an odd spasm, have rising and have remaining firmly rooted to his seat. It was the only time the vampire was anything other than fluidly graceful, and his father had learned to expect this uncharacteristic jerkiness. He said nothing as he watched his boy war with himself, his own heart heavy. He was a gentle soul, straight to his core. Landing in the role of leader come disciplinarian to his brood had been a charring transition, but over the decades he'd moulded the role.

Compassion tempered with consequence.

It was the only way to keep them safe.

But that didn't stop him wincing inwardly as his first born looked at him with an uncharacteristic misery. Edward was perhaps his proudest offspring. The idea of being chastised in keeping with the tone of his behaviour was always the hardest for him. So Carlisle waited, lips closed but face open. He was angry, but he didn't want to appear so. Even though he knew the boy would know instinctively that his hackles were still raised, he knew better than to splash it across his face.

He finally rose, but didn't move.

"Dad," he mumbled, looking down at the floor and reminding Carlisle of his newborn state, "I'm sorry…I won't do this again, I…."

The elder of the two sighed softly.

"I know that, son," he agreed, "but that doesn't mean that what you _have_ done is going to go unpunished. Had Bella not been there, I rather fear that you would have a death burned on your conscience right now and our family would be fleeing this area. Is that what you want? To think that your behaviour is acceptable to me, skate the consequences you deserve? What if the next time Bella _isn't_ there, what then?"

The boy visibly drooped at his words, his shoulders and head hanging in shame.

Carlisle fought the urge to pull him into a hug. Instead, he patted his knee.

"Let's get this taken care of Edward, you know you'll feel better afterwards."

The look of scepticism in a less serious situation would have drawn a chuckle from the coven leader, but the situation was rather dire and he found he didn't have one to give. His stomach still churned at the idea of innocent parents, people he _knew,_ losing their child because of typical teenage thoughts. It made him feel faint, and he knew he couldn't possibly fail to do what needed to be done. It would be doing a disservice to all concerned, and particularly his own boy.

And he wasn't about to let that happen.

Edward could have reached him in a nanosecond, but his movements were slow, laboured. But at least he was moving. Carlisle unbuttoned his shirt cuff rolled up his right sleeve to his elbow, somehow managing to ignore the wince that crossed Edward's face. All of a sudden his eldest was by his side and the two of them were taking an entirely unnecessary breath. There was a decision to be made, and they both knew it. Usually that decision always went in Edward's, or any of the other's favour.

But this time it didn't.

And neither really expected it to.

"Pants down, son."

Edward stared in hopeless misery for a moment, clearly having anticipated the answer but failing to resign himself fully to it. Usually Carlisle would always warm the butt of one of his brood over their clothing first. A vampire's strength on an unprotected rear end was nothing to sniff at, and the Cullen leader had more than ample experience. But for the more serious indiscretions, the "privilege" of a more paced tanning was dispensed with. Knowing he didn't have a leg to stand on to mount a protest, Edward nodded slowly and reached for his belt buckle.

His mind was reeling.

He shouldn't be this horrified at the thoughts of a spanking. He'd had his tail warmed by Carlisle many a time, and it wasn't even horrifically painful or anything. The sensible part of him knew that his reluctance wasn't really anything to do with the pain he was about to be in, which wasn't negligible. It was…the idea that he had forced his father's hand. It wasn't exactly a secret that their patriarch loathed punishing any of them. Jasper had once divulged that the emotions that rolled of Carlisle when in the middle of dealing with one of his brood were positively painful to bear witness to.

He _did_ feel bad for what he'd done to the human boy.

He was just a child, with child's thoughts.

He'd heard those thoughts in the halls of countless High Schools, but this was the first time he'd had a Bella. This was the first time that the objectification of a human girl could cause him such venomous rage. He knew what he had done could never happen again. He had put his whole family at risk. Injured a foolish child, and terrified Bella in the process. He admitted to himself as he let his jeans drop to his knees, that this was perhaps one of the most deserved punishments he'd ever brought on himself.

Before he could beat himself up anymore, gravity betrayed him.

He was fast, but so was Carlisle.

As he blinked, an arm snaked around his waist that was meant both as restraint as comfort. He took another pointless breath as his thin cotton shorts were pulled to his knees. Carlisle always did that when his miscreant was over his knee, he had no desire to unnecessarily embarrass any of his five. Shame washed even more acutely Edward. The man was so damned considerate, all the damned time and this was how he had repaid him. By throwing his teachings so far out of the window they were probably floating over the UK as he lay there, draped over his father's knee like some moron kid caught drinking underage. He braced himself with his hands, staring blankly at the thick carpet his nose was in danger of grazing, his feet supporting the other end of his body.

"You will never, _ever_ raise your hand to a human in anger by the time I am finished with you Edward Cullen," Carlisle said quietly, a ringing authority in his tone. "You will never, _ever_ receive a suspension from _any_ educational institution by the time I am I finished with you. Do I make myself clear son?"

Edward closed his eyes miserably.

He was a complete, and total, idiot.

"….yes dad."

He didn't need to see it, to know that Carlisle gave a sad nod at his words. Then the hand that had been resting harmlessly on his bared butt left it, and Edward knew that the split second it vacated would be the last pain free moment he'd be having for a while. The arm around his waist tightened somewhat, pulling him closer still. There would be no wriggling away from what was coming. He may be faster, but Carlisle was stronger. He was in for a tanning, and there was no way out of it…and he had to admit, even if there was, he wouldn't take it.

He'd acted like a child with his actions, he was damned sure he was going to act like a man with his punishment. The crack that echoed around the room left him bemused for a nanosecond. It, given their special divergence from the human folk, was resoundingly louder than a human swat against a human behind. There was the briefest of brief moments where Edward's rear end remained blissfully pain free.

But then that moment took it's leave and tore from the room.

The sting that flared up was instant, and biting. Carlisle had a wide, practiced hand…that was well acquainted with its target. The bite was searing, and Edward had to apply an equal bite to his lip not to let out a surprised yelp. The first swat was always, always the worst. The second however, wasn't much better and within the realm of a second his father had settled into a regular tempo of one swat on each cheek, alternating back and forth with a lightning speed. The loss of his pants hit him hard as the swats continued to rain down, and the younger Cullen was forced to grit his teeth to suppress his pain and work hard to keep his butt exactly where it was supposed to be.

There was a complete silence save for the sound of hand cracking against behind. Carlisle didn't believe in lecturing while dishing out a spanking. This had its benefits, but also its drawbacks. With his acute hearing, Edward could both hear that resounding crack as his father's hand snapped down on his behind, but also the whistling of the wind as it sliced through the air. A sort of double jeopardy of sorts. He closed his eyes and took pointless air as the hand peppered his prone backside with deserved swat after deserved swat. He knew his father wouldn't use anything other than his hand right now, and for that, he offered whatever creature dwelt in the sky his sincerest thanks.

To his utter shame, after the passage of another minute or so of relentless, precise spanking, tears sprang up in his eyes as he began to squirm involuntarily. Whatever notions he'd had of taking his punishment like a trooper, and uttering not a syllable of disquiet were rapidly leaving him. His behind was burning ferociously, not to the mention the tops of his thighs. It wasn't as if needed an affirmation of how much trouble he was in, but if he did, it would be that. The skin at his "sit spots," was impossibly sensitive and were currently in the process of being well reddened under his father's relentless hand.

"Stop holding back son," Carlisle suddenly commanded quietly, easily audible under the thunderbolt of his swats, "I know you need to cry, so cry. There's no shame in it. I know you're hurting."

If ever there was a time his son was inclined to obey him, it was now. With one searing swat landing on his gleaming posterior, his eldest let go of his stiff resolve and began to cry openly over his knee. It was with an impossibly heavy heart and a tested will that Carlisle continued to bring his hand down again and again. He both knew and was intensely relieved that they were nearly done, but they weren't quite there yet. All his five were different, but he had become well versed in knowing when they had had enough.

And Edward was nearly there.

Tipping up his leg, he gritted his teeth and felt a leaden feeling in his stomach. His boy was no longer squirming, but crying limply over his knee. He raised his hand with a reluctance, and began bringing his eldest's chastisement to a merciful end. The sit spots were peppered with stinging swat after stinging swat, Edward's cries lessening with each one.

It was less loud sobbing, and more heartrending weeping now.

It was with a burning relief that Carlisle landed the last swat upon his son's crimson behind. The moment it landed, he switched his hand from butt to back. Rubbing quiet circles on his boy's back, he knew that Edward hadn't even registered that his spanking was over. He'd been harsh, thorough…but fair. He logically knew that, but as he sat there, with his mind reader weeping over his knee he felt every inch the monster he'd once been in the sewers below, many decades ago.

They sat like that for quite a while, neither moving an inch.

As he rubbed his boy's back, Carlisle muttered quietly to him. Praising him, assuring him he was forgiven for his lapse in judgement. Expressing pride in the way he'd taken his punishment, reassuring him that the whole incident in school was now forgotten. There was a slight cloud in that assurance sky as the lingering presence of a second spanking loomed over them, but for now he pushed it far away.

They would deal with that later.

Right now, all he was concerned about was getting through to his boy that he was forgiven.

Edward still had a hard time accepting that. Accepting that chastisement, however unpleasant, served to wash away the actions that preceded it. He could feel now that the boy was beginning to compose himself. The crying had stopped, and the torso was inflating once more, compensation for high levels of misery based deflation. Carlisle continued to rub circles along the small of Edward's back until, with one large sniff, his eldest made to stand.

Standing along with him, the coven leader immediately turned his back and placed the chair back in the corner, taking his time in doing so. He was giving Edward the time to right his clothing, not wanting to invade the lad's privacy. When he turned, the jeans were where they had once been, and bar the red eyed offspring in front of him, there were no signs in the room that anyone had just had their butt roasted.

Moving slowly forward, Carlisle felt the familiar sadness as he took in the much younger looking Edward. The artful hair was mussed, the striking eyes were bleary and the usual confident poise was more than lacklustre. With his son's head hanging and his eyes diverted, the eldest of the two carefully reached out and put a gentle hand under his boy's chin. Raising Edward's hand to level eye contact between them, he raised a brow.

"Proud of you, son."

Looking at him through watery eyes, Edward managed a small smile. "You always say that after…"

Carlisle nodded.

"I do," he agreed, "because I always mean it. You may look like a seventeen year old Edward, but we both know you're a grown man. You could easily tell me to shove it, but you didn't. You knew you'd done wrong, and you wanted to atone for it. To learn from it. So, yes, son… _I am proud of you._ Proud of the leaps and bounds you've come since we first met. Proud of the strength you show and the care you hold for Bella. So, yes, I may have just tanned your behind for you, but I'm prouder than ever. Understand?"

Edward blinked.

The rush of affection he felt was incapable of being verbalised, even for his verbal affinity.

Carlisle, seeing this, spared him the trouble. Opening his arms wide, he smiled into his son's wild hair as the boy threw himself into the embrace. He held him tight for a moment, knowing his moments to hold one of his kid's like this were few and far between. He knew as he felt Edward's poise return to normal that his words had hit home and the boy knew the slate was wiped clean.

Well, partially clean.

As if reading his mind, which Carlisle knew that Edward wouldn't dream of right now, the boy broke apart from him and looked sheepishly in his direction.

The doctor raised a brow.

"Edward?"

Poodle eyes appeared out of nowhere and sheepish shuffling turned to wheedling shuffling.

"Any chance we can just put the running off down to uhh…youthful exuberance, and forget about it?"

Carlisle stared.

Before snorting and shaking his head, an exasperated grin crossing his face, and pointed to the door.

"Even I won't be able to reattach that arm of yours if you keep chancing it."

Edward all but huffed.

"But-"

Carlisle crossed the room, and threw himself down on the sofa, indicating the door once more.

"But nothing. Now, hop it."

Knowing when the battle was lost, Edward attempted to stalk gracefully from the room which only made Carlisle chuckle with laugher. Hovering at the door, with a suddenly mischievous grin on his face, Edward snuffed his father's chuckle out mid peal.

"You know that nurse, at the hospital who you think has a crush on you?"

Carlisle cocked his head and nodded slowly.

Whatever this was, it wasn't going to be good.

Edward stepped safely outside the door, only leaving his grinning face in the study.

"She doesn't have a crush on you. She thinks that you're the splitting image of her grandfather."

He was out the door, up the stairs and in his room before Carlisle could blink.

But he still heard his under the breath mumblings, which made the pain that flared in his behind as he sat all the more bearable.

"Her _grandfather?"_

…..

TBC

…...

A/N: I wrote this in a hurry waiting for the train. It could be riddled with mistakes, but if I don't post it now I won't get a chance to till late tomorrow night as I won't have my laptop. So, I'll go back and fix mistakes if there are any tomorrow, and until then, hope you enjoyed.

Thoughts?

Like to see some of the other Cullen brood featured?


	4. Clean Slate

Lying perfectly still on the rather pointless futon, Edward listened to the sounds of his siblings getting ready for another equally pointless school day. His teeth were on edge, not because of his suspension per se, but the indirect effect it had on his seeing Bella. He could hardly ask Carlisle could he run over to her house before she left, and so he lay miserably and quietly. Rose and Esme still weren't back, and he found, though he'd never admit it, that he could really do with his adopted mother's presence.

His ears caught the sounds of Carlisle exiting his office and beginning the ascent to his room. Running a hand through his hair, he sighed. There was no way he was going to see Bella today, he knew that, but he knew the minute his father came through the door he would be tempted to ask. A second later, and the unnecessary rap on the door came. Murmuring his assent lowly, Edward found Carlisle sitting next to him a split second later.

He doctor eyed his first turned son carefully.

He was miserable.

He barely stifled a sigh.

"How are we doing up here then?"

Not knowing if Carlisle was referring to his still sensitised behind or his still wounded feelings, Edward arched a questioning brow.

"Both."

There was a silence for a moment as the question was pondered. "Fine, I guess," Edward eventually said, wishing he believed it and clearly, he wasn't the only one failing to buy it.

Carlisle pondered briefly. He knew that even five minutes with Bella would cheer his son up greatly. But, he also knew that not being able to see her would perhaps be the most effective discipline tool at his disposal and would really drive the lesson he was trying to teach home. He closed his eyes briefly, wishing Esme was home. His instinct was to let Edward go to her, but the calm and rational part of him was screaming the opposite. A few days away from Bella wouldn't kill the boy, and he had to make sure this never, ever happened again.

"Sorry son," he sighed, "You're not going to Bella's. Not today, and not tomorrow. We'll talk about you going there, or her coming here when I feel like I can completely trust you again." He deliberately looked away from the miserable expression that crossed Edward's face as he continued. "You are to stay in this house today, all day. And I mean it, and you know I'll know if you don't. When I come home tonight, we'll talk some more and then you can expect to take another trip across my knee for your disappearing act yesterday."

When he looked back at his son, he found the expression unbearably morose.

"You only have yourself to blame here, Edward," the father said softly, "I don't enjoy doing this, and I know how much you hate to be apart from her. I know that, but you have got to learn to control those feelings before you risk exposing us all." He rested a hand upon the young man's knee. "You've got the place to yourself, try and use the peace to think about how this happened, and how it is _never_ going to happen again, because…" He sighed loudly, "Because if it does, Edward, neither you nor your backside will ever be the same again."

The sounds of Alice, Jasper and Emmett arguing loudly whilst leaving the house interrupted them.

"How come you never give them such a hard time then? Hardly saints now, are they?"

Carlisle smiled fondly at the attempted redirect. "Nice try kid." Standing up and smoothing down his tie, he looked down at his rather sullen looking eldest and tilted his head. "No use lying there and sulking Edward Cullen," he intoned sternly, "I want some productivity out of this day for you. You're back in school soon, and I want you to read up and summarise whatever chapters you've been working on for each class."

Edward couldn't help it.

His eyes found the ceiling.

"Yes," he drawled, "Because High School syllabi has really transformed over the last three decades. I'd truly hate to miss out." Carlisle was a gentle guy, and rarely sent looks that had his kids scrambling for cover. That was more Esme's department. However, he made an exception in the current situation and shot such a stern glare in his eldest's direction that he instantly dropped his head sheepishly and offered a subdued "sorry."

"I would think, a young man in your current situation would have more self preservation," Carlisle scolded firmly, "You're lucky I don't turn you over my knee before I leave."

Edward flushed.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, "I just…it's just…." He trailed off sadly, and the indignation that had arisen in his father quickly dissipated as he dropped back down to sit beside his son. "I know," he agreed softly, "I know how hard it is to be separated from her." He laughed quietly. "Look at me. Even after all these years upon years, I miss Esme like we're apart for the very first time right now."

Edward tilted his head to the side.

He'd never really thought of that.

"You do?" he questioned, wondering would his intense feelings for Bella continue to grow as the years went on, as opposed to quieten down. "I do," Carlisle confirmed, knowing exactly what his eldest was thinking. "So don't upset yourself too much, you'll see her before you know it, and because I'm not a complete ogre, and not because you deserve it, you can keep your cell and text her."

Edward grinned crookedly. He'd been expecting the confiscation argument to arise.

"Thanks dad…"

Nodding, Carlisle stood and ruffled his son's hair. "I'll best be going then; I'll see you later on tonight ok?"

About to nod, Edward was seized by a sudden and horrifying thought. Jasper, Alice and Emmett would be back home before Carlisle, and if they didn't decide like that had last night, to make themselves scarce, they'd hear everything. The anguish and embarrassment must have splashed across his face, because his father stopped short in the middle of the bedroom. "What is it?" he asked patiently, "What's the matter?"

Edward shook his head and forced a slim smile.

"Nothing…you go on."

Carlisle also shook his head, and returned to his seat on the futon. "Not likely," he muttered, "Now, out with it. What are you thinking?"

Once again, Edward shook his head in denial. He knew his father hated tardiness, and if he didn't leave soon, he would be late for work. "Nothing…honestly. You need to go, otherwise you're gonna be late." The sceptical brow caused the younger Cullen to sigh in frustration. "It doesn't even matter…" he muttered, "Just go…"

Carlisle crossed his arms and legs in answer.

Edward knew there was no getting out of it.

"It's just…uhh, well Alice and the rest…will be back before you and uhm…I don't really want them to…you know….hear…"

Carlisle nodded slowly, before adding an understanding "Ah, I see."

"Doesn't matter," Edward mumbled shamefacedly, "It's not like I don't deserve it." The doctor shook his head immediately and vigorously. "Stop that," he rebuked gently. "No one deserves to be embarrassed as a punishment, you know I'd never knowingly do or allow that. I should have thought of them being back before me son, I'm sorry. They'll probably make some excuse to go out anyway…"

One look at his son and he knew the kid didn't want to take that chance.

He took a deep breath.

This was _not_ how he planned his morning going.

"You want to get this taken care of now?" he asked carefully, not wanting to influence Edward's decision. There was a silence as the younger Cullen pondered. "Well _want_ is not exactly the term I'd use," he replied with a wry grin that caused Carlisle to chuckle, "But," he shrugged, "I guess it's the lesser of two evils."

Nodding slowly, Carlisle steeled himself.

He usually had more time to mentally prepare himself for disciplining any of his brood.

"Alright son," he agreed quietly, "You want to go down to the study or are you ok here?"

Edward felt a sudden, writhing bout of guilt. The reason Carlisle was asking that question was because long ago he had intoned that each of their rooms was their own space and he'd never discipline any of the five in them. The thoughtfulness of his father's conduct made him feel his behaviour more acutely than perhaps before and he shook his head slowly. "Here's fine, dad."

Nodding, the doctor settled back further on the futon and pointed to the spot directly in front of him.

"Come here then."

Biting his lip and hesitating just for a moment, Edward gracefully rose himself from the sofa and landed in the allocated spot in point five of a second. Shrugging out of his suit jacket, and tossing it loosely behind him, Carlisle arched a brow as he un-cuffed the cuff of his right sleeve. "Why am I about to tear your butt up, once again Edward?"

Gulping, the first born shuffled uncharacteristically and sighed. Somehow, putting this off for a couple more hours seemed like the better option to have taken. "Because…I ran off yesterday when I knew you wanted to uhm…talk to me," he muttered, "Because I made you come looking for me."

Tucking his sleeve up around his elbow, Carlisle nodded slowly. "And why?" he asked quietly, "Why on earth did you do that, Edward? How could you possibly think that was a clever thing to do, given the amount of trouble you were already in?"

Edward shrugged helplessly.

"I just wanted to be near her, dad. Bella makes…well, she always makes everything feel better."

Carlisle arched a brow.

"She's not going to make this feel better now is she?"

Edward flushed in answer, and the doctor let it go with a small sigh.

"There's no point in my lecturing you on this son. I get that you wanted to see her, but you're not exactly a seventeen year old who doesn't know any better. You don't get to act like that and skate on the consequences. Not under my roof. It's not happening. It was however understandable, disrespectful to me and downright unfair to Alice. I take it you apologised to your sister?"

The younger Cullen nodded guiltily.

"Good," Carlisle continued, "Now, I don't ever want to have a conversation about behaviour this juvenile with you again Edward. Like I said, it's not as if you're a newborn. For goodness sake, you're the level headed one, finding your mate is wonderful, but it doesn't mean you accept a personality transplant. Do you understand me, Edward Cullen?"

"Yes dad," the not quite teenager muttered shamefacedly, shuffling on the spot.

Nodding slowly, Carlisle knew there was no more need for words. Sighing, he crooked a finger in his son's direction. "Come here." Stalling for just a moment, Edward squared his shoulders and moved through the small distance between them. Taking a gentle but controlled hold of the boy's wrist, Carlisle shot him an exasperatedly stern look. "Never again force me to do this for something so foolish again son."

Before Edward could even formulate an answer, he was suddenly face down over his father's lap.

Breathing in the leathery scent of the futon, he stifled a groan as he felt Carlisle's hand snake around his waist. His behind was still quite sore from the lengthy application of his father's hand a mere day ago, and try as he might, he couldn't suppress the dread that arose in him. Carlisle didn't often spank any of them, but when he did, he meant business.

The crack that resonated around the room bemused him for a moment. Even with his senses, it took a moment for the crack to coincide with his brain and the sudden sting that erupted in his backside. He barely stifled a groan once more. This…was going to hurt.

Tugging his son closer to him, Carlisle swallowed a sigh. He knew the kid still had to be hurting, and he was not at all inclined to deliver a fresh spanking over a barely healed behind, but he had no choice and he would not hold back. He couldn't have such disobedience, not if he was to keep them all, and their secret safe. He delivered the second swat, and by the fifth he was truly engaged with his task. The swats were firm, targeted and brisk. He allowed no let up between them as he peppered his son's upturned backside with the punishment he'd earned himself.

He knew instantly that it was having the desired effect, because the usually stoic Edward was already squirming in his grasp. "You wouldn't be in this position if you had faced the consequences of your actions straight away young man," he scolded lightly as he continued to spank the lad earnestly.

"Thanks for the reminder, dad," Edward groaned into the cushions as he struggled to remain in place. Rolling his eyes, Carlisle merely held him tighter and continued to dish out the well deserved spanking. There was a silence that was interrupted only by the seemingly never ending falling of his hand and the odd gasp and hiss they elicited from their recipient. Hating to do it, Carlisle rose his knee up and tipped his son forward slightly, before reddening his already sore sit spots.

The squirming instantly intensified as Edward naturally tried to twist away from the stinging and searing pain that arose at the tender join of his thighs and behind. Having none of it and being prepared, Carlisle simply rose his knee further and continued distributing the punishing swats. A moment or so passed, before mercifully, the hand ceased. Seizing the moment to gasp a wholly unnecessary breath, Edward blinked into the cushion and prayed silently. Perhaps…perhaps his father would let it go at that, given that he was still sore from yesterday…perhaps…perhaps they were done….

"Up you get and get those jeans down, Edward."

The prayers were instantly ceased.

On autopilot, he rose himself and stood in front his father uncertainly. He couldn't help the puppy eyes that developed as he looked at the doctor. His ass was burning, he had hastily brushed away the beginnings of tears from his eyes and he knew if he had to take any more he wouldn't be able to wipe them away. "Do we really need to do that?" he murmured, with a slight crack in his voice. "I get it, and I won't do it again, I swear." His eyes were beseeching pools. "Please, dad? I'm sorry…"

Carlisle barely swallowed a groan.

If ever he were going to give in, it was now. The kid looked so damned miserably imploring, it was nearly painful. But he needed to drive the message home and make sure such a stunt occurred again. "Come here, Edward," he said gently. The younger Cullen groaned, but did as he was told, the slight movement causing the pain in his rear to shoot up.

"Put your hands behind your back."

About to protest, but feeling the sting rise once more, Edward miserably did as he was told. He didn't have the energy left to fight, emotionally speaking. Carlisle deftly made short work of the belt and jeans zipper, and within an instant his son was back over his knee with his jeans pooling at his knees. Hesitating for just a moment, the doctor reached up and tugged the boy's boxer shorts down to join them.

He wanted this to be over nearly as much as Edward did.

Feeling a horrible sense of déjà vu as he glanced down at his sons crimson backside, Carlisle reluctantly strengthened his hold around the boy's waist once more. His hand fell once more, and the crack was resounding and so was the yelp it brought about. Closing his eyes briefly, the elder Cullen forced himself to settle back into the spanking, paying careful attention to the clearly well punished sit spots.

It only took a moment for the tears to flow.

Not caring about remaining stoic any longer, Edward ceased squirming and laid limply across his father's knee as his backside reaped what he had sowed. Hearing the sounds of his son's distress and feeling him go flaccid in his grasp pierced the heart of the kindly doctor. The combination of one spanking right after another had clearly had the desired effect.

But he still hated it.

Knowing the point had been made, and always cautious against over doing it, Carlisle slowed the speed and intensity of the swats, and began winding the spanking down. Within a moment, the last swat fell and he breathed a sigh of relief. Moving the hand that had punished into a position where it could comfort, he rubbed gently across the small of Edward's back. The kid wasn't sobbing as he had done yesterday, but he was clearly in much more pain. His tears were quiet and heartbreaking, and it was all the father could do not to pluck him off his knee and into his arms.

Edward would positively hate that.

So he waited, and murmured gently. It was to his relief that the whole ordeal was over, and they had the privacy of the house to deal with the aftermath. Several minutes passed and he alternated rubbing a hand across the lad's back and a hand through his mussed up hair. With every moment slipping by, he sensed a quietening of his son's sorrow, and his heart grew lighter in tandem. Just when he thought his son was beyond movement, Edward suddenly made to push himself upwards.

Rising with him, but instantly turning his back and making a meal out of unfurling and re-cuffing his sleeve, before shrugging back into his suit jacket, Carlisle gave Edward the space to redress. Taking a moment to smooth his tie and compose himself, he turned to face his eldest. The watery, bleary eyed half grin that greeted him sent of an explosion of relief within him.

"What is it?"

The half grin grew slightly as Edward shrugged with a wince.

"I was just hoping you had some of that burn cream in the house?"

Carlisle stared before bursting into relieved chuckle. "I do," he admitted, "But it's nowhere you're going to find it, I put a lot of work into that burn and you're not medicating your way out of it son. Doctor's orders." Edwards grin instantly turned into a watery pout, causing his father to laugh all the more. Sobering in the wake of his son's disgruntled snort, Carlisle raised a brow and opened his arms.

"You got a hug in you for your old man then?"

Edward stared for just a moment, and Carlisle's anxieties rose instantly. Before he could open his mouth and insist it wasn't necessary, he suddenly had his arms full of his eldest. Wrapping his arms around the lad, he sighed in relief as Edward sniffed into his chest. Rubbing a hand through his hair once more, he murmured "You ok?" Breaking away, Edward nodded before adding a very dramatic "I'll live, I _suppose."_ Laughing softly, Carlisle rested a hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't be too sure if I were you son."

Edward looked at him in askance.

"But you said you forgave me," he spluttered indignantly, referring to the murmurings that Carlisle had offered as he had calmed down. "And I probably won't sit for a week," the mind reader added miserably, rubbing gingerly at his inflamed backside, "What _else_ are you going to do me?"

Rolling his eyes fondly at the theatrics, Carlisle squeezed the shoulder gently.

"Me?" he laughed quietly, "Nothing."

His eyes sparkled with mischief as he took in the narrowed and suspicious gaze of his eldest.

"Your _mother_ on the other hand…."

….

FIN

-Inks.

…


End file.
